AFL players broker $1 billion deal

As well as giving players a pay rise, the deal will force the league back to the negotiating table in three years.

The AFL finally agreed to a deal at 7am yesterday when players' chief executive Matt Finnis spoke with AFL counterpart Andrew Demetriou, ending negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement stretching back to September last year.

While the contract is for five years, it will be reviewed after the 2014 season, allowing for revenue forecasts for the 2015 and 2016 seasons to be reconsidered.

Finnis said his board and delegates had reviewed the deal over two days and were ''proud'' of the outcome, avoiding industrial action.